James M. Love

James Madison Love (March 4, 1820 – July 2, 1891) was a United States district judge of the United States District Court for the District of Iowa and the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa.

Education and career

Born on March 4, 1820, in Fairfax County, Virginia, the son of John and Mary Vermillion Love, Love moved with his mother to Zanesville, Ohio the year after his father died. He read law in 1840,

Federal judicial service

Love received a recess appointment from President Franklin Pierce on October 5, 1855, to a seat on the United States District Court for the District of Iowa vacated by Judge John James Dyer. He was nominated to the same position by President Pierce on February 7, 1856. He was confirmed by the United States Senate on February 25, 1856, and received his commission on December 21, 1856. Love was reassigned by operation of law to the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa on July 20, 1882, to a new seat authorized by 22 Stat. 172. His service terminated on July 2, 1891, due to his death in Keokuk. He was the longest serving federal judge to be appointed by President Pierce.

Other service

Concurrent with his federal judicial service, Love was a Professor of commercial law for the State University of Iowa (now the University of Iowa starting in 1875. He was Chancellor of the University of Iowa College of Law from 1887 to 1890, serving between the tenures of Lewis Williams Ross and Emlin McClain.

Personal life Father of William T. Love, known for digging the Love Canal.